Spain
In Spain, it is customary to eat 12 grapes – one at each stroke of the clock at midnight on New Year’s Eve. The grapes represent good luck for each of the months in the coming year. In bigger cities like Madrid and Barcelona, people gather in main squares to eat their grapes together and pass around bottles of cava.
Colombia
Colombians carry empty suitcases around the block in hopes of a travel-filled year.
Japan
The Japanese decorate their front doors with pine branches and bamboo to bring health and long life. They may also add fans, seaweed, or ferns for happiness and good luck. Children are given small gifts of money called otoshidamas. At midnight, bells and gongs are rung 108 times to chase away 108 troubles, and people laugh to drive away the bad spirits.
Deborah Song
